Sequins and Glitter and Sparkles, Oh My!

That's right, it's that time of year again when we can get away with all the glitter and lashes we want! It's New Years Eve!!!

I love love love getting ready for NYE. It's the perfect opportunity to really go outside the box with your makeup routine and try something truly eye catching. I try to change it up year to year.. Just to recap...
*pardon the poor lighting/photos*

2011

I went with a gold glitter eye with cat liner and big wispie lashes! I polished it off with a classic, matte red lip :) 

2012

I worked in a different color palette for 2012-- Using silvers and opalescent glitter on the eyes, a smokey black liner and glossy red lips. 

2013

The year our heat went out during a big snow storm... ie; no time for makeup! Simply added a red lip out the door! 

2014

This one may be my favorite! I went for an electric blue cream shadow that I topped with blue/green glitter, all around my eyes. I tight-lined with a black liner for added definition and of course big lashes! I kept the lips soft and natural. 

So what does ringing in 2016 bring to the table? So many options! Here are some fun product suggestions if you're still undecided...

Start small... 

Not ready to jump into the disco lids?! Try starting with small details like this Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner from Urban Decay. 

*image c/o Ulta.com

They come in a variety of colors so you can coordinate and personalize :) One swipe of this will escalate your regular makeup routine to top notch New Year fun. 

The best part about this? No additional adhesives required! It's a great way to get that holiday flair without the extra fuss. 

Glitter Shadows... 

Before diving into the loose glitters, you can always start with a metallic or shimmer shadow. Bobbi Brown's Sparkle Eyeshadows have some beautiful metallic/neutral shades... 

*photos c/o Sephora.com

Colors (L toR): Sunlight, Allspice, Mica

If you're looking for some more color options, try Urban Decay Moondust Shadows. 

*photos c/o Urbandecay.com

Colors (L to R): Intergalactic, Scorpio, Shockwave

These shadows are a great way to add an understated sparkle. Pop on your lids and add a dark liner and lashes to get that extra drama! 

Die Hard Glitter Fans... 

Like myself :) 

Most of you know Makeup Forever is one of my FAVORITE makeup brands! They have an amazing artist line and have a killer glitter selection! From Subtle to outrageous, you can find one that works for you! 

They have a wide assortment of colors in their fine grade Glitters. 

*Photo c/o Makeupforever.com

Colors (Top, L to R): N5 Blue, N14 Orange, N7 Red

These fine grade glitters are beautiful topped over eyeshadows! They add sparkle and dimension to a regular eye shadow (see 2014 New Years Eve Makeup Above!)

They can even be used on the lips and body :) 

If you want some really crazy, fun glitter, be sure to check out Makeup Forever's Graphic Glitters and Star Glitters. 

How to... 

Wondering how to adhere that glitter so it will last you through your night of dancing and drinking champagne? Try this amazing Glitter Glue from Too Faced. 

*Image c/o Toofaced.com

It's waterproof, creaseproof and holds glitter and shimmer for 24 hours. I have always used their Shadow Insurance Primer to lock down shadows and it works amazingly well. So if you need a way to apply your glitter that isn't uncomfortable, or too sticky, give this a try! 

I hope this inspires you to try something daring this New Years Eve! Remember, it should be fun, festive and full of sparkle :) 

Share your NYE look in the comments section- I'd love to see what inspired you. 

Have a Great New Year's Eve, and be safe! 

National Lipstick Day!

Hello beauties,

Today is my favorite holiday. 

NATIONAL LIPSTICK DAY!!!!

If any of you know me personally, you know that I LOVE lipstick. It is my absolute go to for day to day makeup. I generally have about 5 or 6 types of lipstick in my purse on any given day, and I had a red lipped phase that lasted for 2 years straight. 

Really! 

Red lipstick. every day. two years. 

So, in honor of National Lipstick Day, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite lip products.

 But first, 

I'd like to share with you some history on this beloved cosmetic trend. 

Lipstick has been used worldwide for centuries! Dating back to Cleopatra in Egypt, from 51-30 BC, this queen starting with crushed ants, clay, fish scales and fruits to get that red hue on the lips. 

(A substance from fish scales were used to create an iridescent sheen)

Ancient Romans wore lip color as a sign of social status, not gender. Many men wore lip color to show their rank. Wealthy women of Ancient Rome had designated slaves, "cosmatae," for applying their makeup or styling their hair! (Hence the term, cosmetologists :)) 

By the time of the 1700's, lipstick was almost banned! Women were looked down upon for wearing this cosmetic, and considered prostitutes or witches to lure men into marriage if they did! It was seen as a tool of manipulation. 

But alas! 

By the time the 1800's rolled around, lipstick was back in the picture-- the big picture to be exact! Movies! Actresses started wearing the red lipstick colors and it picked up in popularity-- carrying out to the present day. 

To this day, more than 60% of makeup users wear lipstick! I love to hear that! 

And finally-- 

Here are some of my favorite lip products... 

Tarte

Lipsurgence Lip Tints

photos c/o tarte cosmetics.com

You've seen me post about these little guys before! I love them! They come in a sheer tint, matte color, or lip luster. So if you are a beginner lipstick wearer, or a well seasoned one, you can find the perfect, user friendly tint for you! 

MAC

Lipstick in Russian Red

photo c/o MAC cosmetics.com

Look no further for that perfect red. I have loved this red for years! Whenever I work with a client or on set, and we need a bright red for a glamorous look, or 40's inspired- I use this. It works on pretty much every skin tone! 

It's perfectly balanced, bold color. 

L'Oreal

Infallible Lip color Compact

photo c/o L'oreal.com

Afraid of your lip color fading? Look no further! I have faithfully used L'Oreal's infallible compacts for years! The color goes on smoothly, lasts for hours, and the compact packaging is so smart! You never have to worry about losing your top coat gloss (which is also beautifully hydrating), because they are together! Not to mention, you can use the compact as a mirror if you're in a pinch. 

Genius. 

Well there you have it, three of my go to lip products. Give em' a try today and let me know which you like the best! 

2014 Golden Globes

Hello lovelies! 

It's been a few months since my last post, but I swear I'll post about what I've been up to! 

In the meantime...

IT'S AWARD SEASON!!

Sunday night was the first of many glamorous award shows for 2014. I could not stop live tweeting, looking online, and flipping channels between every interview!

Here are some of my Knock Out Looks, Missed Looks, and even one that I found Boring! 

Let's start with a bang shall we? 

Knock out Looks...

These ladies REALLY kicked it out of the park with some super stunning looks.
Hair. Makeup. Perfection. 

Julianna Margulies

As my boyfriend said, "I swear she's getting younger." Julianna looks great, if not better now than back in her 20s! 

The talented artist, Molly R. Stern had the pleasure of working with Julianna. She managed to keep her skin glowing and fresh with a soft coral cheek, pretty pink pout and sultry cat eyes. Her side swept bangs and low tied do' were perfection. 

Emma Watson

I loved Emma Watson's look! 

It was fresh, young and clean! Her deep side parted hair, pulled back was  effortless and made a bold statement. It's not easy to pull off a bold lip with a bright dress, but she did it! Love the contrasting lip color against the red/orange dress. 

Lupita Nyong'o

I think EVERYONE was obsessing over this show stopper. Lupita is new on the scene, but she certainly looks like a pro on the red carpet. 

With beautiful clean skin, a bright red lip (and dress!), and a clean sweep of liner, this girl ruled! Look closely, the look is updated and brightened with a little blue liner on the bottom of her eyes. The perfect modern touch to add a little excitement. Her short hair was parted to the side for a sophisticated, on trend look. 

Mila Kunis

Mila usually wears a dark rimmed eye, but last night she made me OBSESS over her eye makeup! It was softened with soft grays and kept very neutral. I love that there wasn't any additional shimmer or shine on her eyes since her dress was so blingy! Paired with a slicked back, clean updo, the look is modern and beautiful. 

I can guarantee I will be wearing this makeup look very soon! 

MISSES

Here are some ladies that just missed the mark with me- Most are small mistakes that I think could easily be executed in a better way. 

Zooey Deschanel

Before you say anything... Let me explain! 

Girl looked amazing- super cute and charming (as per usual), but she landed on this list because the look could have been better. Her foundation is far too heavy for her-- she has beautiful skin and should let that shine through! You can see the excess makeup creasing under her eyes. It was just too heavy! 

I would have definitely added some slight definition (contours) as she begins to look like one white blob on camera. The girl is gorgeous! Let that shine! 

Lena Dunham

I thought Lena looked incredible in her yellow gown! But when it came to her makeup, it was a flop. The eyeliner is messy and harsh against her skin. I would have opened up the yes a bit more with some warm shadows, and then accented with a soft cat eye- probably with a gel for a softer effect. 

She's so adorable and pretty, but that wasn't captured for me with this look!

Jacqueline Bisset

What a beautiful woman. 

But if you are going to the Golden Globes, AND your NOMINATED, you should get your hair done. Full of flyaways and frizzies, this messy hair did not do it for me. Smooth it out, add some texture, but do it right! 

Boring

And lastly, here is my pick for my "Pretty, but not surprised," look...

Sofia Vergara

Sofia Vergara is always a knockout, but that's probably because she does the same hair and makeup look, over and over... and over! 

Hair always down, often parted to the side and on one shoulder. 

Makeup is always the same- soft bronzed cat eye, pop of color on the lip. It's all very pretty, she looks great all the time, but it's a little tired. I'd love to see her change that hair! Maybe pin part back, or do a low side swept bun. And makeup, I'd love to see her with a sultry smokey eye, just to change it up! 

Those are some of my picks that really caught my attention. 

Who are some of yours?! Anyone else out there who didn't surprise you? 

Have a favorite of the night?! 

I honestly had too many favorites to post! Everyone really looked amazing. Some could use a little tweaking, but overall, it was a night that was easy to watch! 

xoxo Jen

Photos sourced from, bella sugar, huffington post, getty images and Vogue. 

Favorite looks of the Oscars 2012

courtesy of Urbandaily.com

If you're like me, the best part of the Oscars is the Red Carpet. I LOVE watching what the stars are wearing and doing to complete their look for this very special occasion! 

Here are some trends and some of my favorites of the night....

One hot trend I saw on a lot of leading ladies... Cat Eyes! Yes! This classic feline liner is always a good way to go. Here are some leading ladies who pulled off the look without a flaw.

 Jennifer Lopez

She had her signature glow with a bronzed face, nude lips, soft cheeks and really went to town with an exaggerated cat liner! It's extended out and up with a pop of highlight just above it, used to accentuate the dramatic line. Strong contour in the crease and this look is HOT! 

 Emma Stone

One of my favorites! I think she is so funny and fresh faced. 

This girl has an incredible sense of style and really pulls her looks together beautifully. Also sporting a dramatic curled cat eye, she has a base of iridescent pink shadow from the lid to the brow. Polished off with a soft rose stained lip and clean face, this girl has her bow on the dress to add the drama. 

Well done. 

Jessica Chastain

This beauty kept a simple clean look to accompany her detailed dress. 

With a clean, soft look, the cat eye is just extended out for a subtle but strong statement. 

Her easy going, classic look fits with the loose waves gently pinned back. She looks effortless and gorgeous!

Another classic look that was spotted last night was the oh-so-fabulous Red Lip. 

Here are a few ladies who pulled them off flawlessly and this is how they did it...

 Rooney Mara

One of THE most talked about stars this year, she pulled off the beautifully clean, but dramatic look with a bang! 

Strong dark brows, a porcelain complexion with peach contoured cheeks and it's all sealed with a fabulous, matte lipstick! Those blunt bangs really make you think of pinup beauty Bettie Page. GORGEOUS!

 Angelina Jolie

The always stunning Angelina.
Walking down the carpet with her signature clean, minimal eye (soft, smokey shadow on the outer corners, and lashes of course ;)), she dressed it up with Long wavy locks and and ruby red lips. Can you say BOMBSHELL?!

Milla Jovovich

Another favorite of the night!
She was stunning in that white, glitzy dress, 40's styled hair and makeup. Milla softly lined her eyes and popped some outer corner lashes, giving that cat eye effect without the heavy line. The apples of her cheeks were saturated with a bright pink blush (my favorite!), and she too rocked a warm ruby red on her softly lined lips.
To DIE! xo 

 Michelle Williams

Now Michelle did not rock the red lipstick, but she kept with the trend of the bold lip and soft eyes. Here she is rocking some Hot Pink Lipstick (another favorite of mine) with some neutral eyes, porcelain skin and soft pink cheeks.
She looks youthful, playful and lovely. 

Viola Davis

This  beauty used dark emerald greens that happened to match her gown and jewels, to outline her eyes. The color is perfect against her skin and complements the red in her hair.
False lashes, a kohl rimmed eye and glossy lips, finish off the look.
So fun and sexy! 

Rose Byrne

Rocking a chic banged bob, Rose didn't want to lose focus on her eyes, so she has a beautifully executed smokey eye accompanied with very soft lips and cheeks.
I think this is an A++

And last but not least, the biggest trend of the night (usually the most popular), The Natural Look. 
So many of our beauties rocked this natural makeup look with soft romantic waves or lightly swept back hair for an easy elegance. 

 Maya Rudolph

Gwyneth Paltrow

 Natalie Portman

Hope this was fun! 

There were so many fantastic and fun looks this year. Take them and use them as inspiration for your everyday makeup. Even if you don't go for the full look, play with it! 

If Viola Davis' eyes inspire you, but are a little too dramatic for you, take a thin line of green (or blue, or purple...) on your upper lid for a splash of color!

Love those dramatic cat eyes, but not quite sure how to pull them off? Start small, just extend your line past your outer corners without curving upward toward the brow.

Makeup is supposed to be fun, not stressful. Remember, you can create any look you like, just practice and play! 

xoxo Jen

PS: Not to mention these other stunning beauties that I thought looked amazing!
Tina Fey
Kristen Wiig
Meryl Streep
Penelope Cruz
Sandra Bullock
Octavia Spencer
..... 

Halftime Princess: Madonna

Everyone can agree that no one does it like Madonna. She is a true icon and even at 54 years old, she was dancing around, and doing flips on stage at the Superbowl! AMAZING! 

I thought it'd be fun to reminisce through Madonna's style transformations. When it comes to re-invention and playing with makeup, she is the Queen.

1982-1984

                                           

Oh the 80s... where there were never too many accessories and your hair couldn't be bigger! The make up was pretty intense during this time... it was loud, and dark and heavy! Smokey eyes up to your brows and dark reds on the lips were never too much! Let's not forget about all the heavy contouring of those cheek bones in shades of fuchsia! 

Madonna in her "Like a Virgin" gear. Since this is a more "bridal" look, she's opted for a more neutral toned lip to accompany her dark rimmed eyes and contoured cheeks.

1985-1988

                           

Channeling her inner Marilyn, Madonna extends her dark brows, adds a super red pout and keeps a clean face. Lashes were definitely a focal point with a soft cat eye and a very clean, bright shadow on the lid. And that BLONDE hair!

Vogue

1989

"Like a Prayer"

To fit the theme of the song, Madonna's makeup look is soft, clean and ethereal. She goes darker than her natural brown hair and lets her curls run wild! 

1990

                                       

                                         

How could anyone forget this look? The pointed bustier is definitely easy to remember, but that was just part of it! The long blonde extensions pulled into a tight pony is quite a statement. Madonna keeps her 50's inspired eyes of soft light shadows on her lid, a soft crease and slight cat eye. She plays with her lip color throughout the tour, all reds ranging from bright cherry hues to deep berry ones. 

1996

                         
                         

Evita. Madonna plays the role of a strong and passionate woman, which calls for the same characteristics of makeup. From a strong eye look (left), to a more natural, clean eye (right), she keeps the powerful statement of a red lip... my favorite. 

1998

                           


The above photos showcase Madonna's influence of her Kabbalah beliefs, decked out in traditional Henna tattoos on her hands and wrists. She is adorned with classic Indian face paint, almost in the shape of what (and where) a traditional Indian head piece would be worn. Her eyes kept soft with a thin liner on her top lid, curled lashes, and white liner on the inner rim to tie in the face paint. Lips were adorned with a pinky-red gloss. Her brows are much more groomed than that of the 80s!


                                  

Here is a very different look from the same year, plucked from her "Nothing Really Matters" music video, she sports a dark, sleek, long bob. She is inspired by the geisha, but it's much more toned down than that of traditional geisha makeup... (see below)
Her makeup look is also very fashion friendly. With more of a fuchsia color on the outer corner to the center of her lid, a pale complexion, and a red lip.

2000

The Millennium has hit! 

Modern, soft waves in her blonde again hair, sporting a natural makeup look with soft brown liner, pink glossy lips and a very neutral palette. 

2005

DISCO IS BACK!

This may be my favorite look...

Sporting some Farrah Fawcett waves with her honey toned hair, she has a bronzed palette with pops of color! Pink glossy lips, and playful colorful eyes. I LOVE this look! Will probably do a tutorial at some point showcasing this look :) 

Fast Forward to 2012

Madonna has been sporting a very classic, clean face lately. From the Golden Globes to the Superbowl, she looks timeless. Usually sporting a porcelain complexion, soft peachy blushes, neutral lip and soft eyes (with a kick of liner and lashes), this girl knows how to do it right! 

Now if only I could move like her... 

xoxo Jen